To say the transition from Autumn to a decidedly more winter-like landscape was fast, would be an understatement. Around here, it went form sunny and warm one morning, to sub-zero and snowing that night. The poor trees, in all there seasonal splendor, looked quite confused the next morning.
All of us here at Imagine Childhood are not usually the type to jump the gun in terms of celebrating seasonal changes early, but it's hard not to play along when Old Man Winter has most definitely made his presence felt.
With that in mind we decided to cave a little bit, and give you lovely readers a dose of snow.
The colder months are here, so we might as well make the most of them! From sweet fairy tales, to the science of snow, and everywhere in between, we've got you covered!
So dive on into that snow bank, and then warm up in front of the fire with one of these great reads.
Ollie's Ski Trip: Six-year-old Ollie is given his first pair of real skis. As soon as the snow begins to fall, he sets off on an adventure by himself to the palace of King Winter. Along the way, he meets Jack Frost, who makes everything sparkle, and Mrs. Thaw, who makes everything melt. At the palace, Ollie meets children helping to make Christmas presents that is, until break time, when they rush outside for a big snowball fight.
The Story of the Snow Children: Poppy is gazing out of the window at the snow when, all of a sudden, she sees that the snowflakes are really little Snow Children dancing and whirling in the garden. Soon, they whisk her away to the Snow Queen’s wintry kingdom.
The Snowy Day: The world looks different when it's covered with a fresh blanket of snow. In Ezra Keats's lovely book The Snowy Day a young boy explores this new landscape and all it has to offer. Beautifully illustrated with watercolors, cut-outs and collage, the brief vividly expressed text follows the little explorer's adventures. From experimenting with footprints, to making snow angels, to trying to save a snowball for the next day, this book is a reminder of the magic in simple experiences.
Snow: Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant's lyrical descriptions of the sights and feelings evoked by falling snow blend gorgeously with the rich and beautiful world created by Lauren Stringer's illustrations, in which a young girl, her friend, and her grandmother enjoy the many things a snowy day has to offer.
The Story of Snow: Ever wonder how snow forms, or why snowflakes look the way they do? Did you know that no two snowflakes are alike? Dive in to the incredible world of snow and ice crystals in The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonders by Mark Cassino and Jon Nelson, Ph.D. Part fun and part real science, this book is filled with delightful illustrations and close-up photos of actual snow crystals. Even learn how to study them yourself!
Winter Awake!: Tells what happens one year when Winter will not wake. The tired trees need to rest. Their fallen leaves have made a leafy blanket for the sleeping seeds. All the woodland creatures try to tell Winter their work is done. They scold and mock and urge, but Winter will not wake, until, at last, the round red ladybug in her small, soft voice whispers something gently in his ear—and mighty Winter wakes!
Frog, Bee and Snail Look for Snow: Frog knows all about water. Bee knows all about the sky. And Snail knows all about the earth. So why do none of them know anything about snow? Waking from their winter sleep, the three friends are astonished to hear of something called snow—and that it falls from the sky! Once the snow melts the three are determined to discover all about snow, setting off on a journey of discovery that takes them through the seasons.
How to Build and Igloo: In this instructive, whimsical, illustrated manual, Yankielun, a seasoned cold regions explorer and researcher, takes readers step-by-step through the process of constructing and inhabiting a range of useful snow structures--from the most basic to the more complex.
Happy Reading!
~ Jordan
* Last time in Books and Stories: The Land of Long Ago
